A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is useful as an optical data link in applications such as optical communications, high performance computing, and data centers. For mobile computing platforms too, a PIC is a promising input/output (I/O) for rapidly updating or syncing a mobile module with a host module and/or cloud service where a wireless link has insufficient bandwidth. Such optical links utilize an optical I/O interface that may include an electro-optical module including an optical transmitter and/or an optical receiver (e.g., a transceiver) operable at channel data rates of 25 Gbit/sec, or more.
An electro-optical transceiver IC may be mechanically and electrically coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB) with a socket, such as a land grid array (LGA) socket. Socketed transceiver architectures advantageously enable a host module to be upgraded over time. For example, a platform lacking optical link capability but including the appropriate socket can be subsequently upgraded by installing a transceiver into the socket. Or, a platform including an optical link having a transceiver with first channel data rates may be subsequently swapped for another with higher rates if compatible with the same socket. Most LGA sockets however require external load generation to compress the electrical contacts in the socket against contact pads on the IC. This load scales with number of contacts and methods to generate the load may be complicated by the spatial distribution of the contact pads over the IC. Typical load generation mechanisms include screws and springs, the implementation of which may require significant overhead in terms of board area (footprint) and/or socket z-height. Therefor, such socket form factors may be problematic for compact platforms.
A socket that is capable of supporting a sufficient number of data channels at the high data rates of an electro-optical transceiver and has a small board footprint is therefore advantageous.